did anybody see his rant about van persie? went something along the lines of 'he gets physical with defenders within the laws of the game, so he's a cheat and the referee/linesmen are a disgrace for not penalising him. i'm glad he didn't get his record!' more or less his exact wording. what do you even say to that?

would love to see some deadwood move on (arshavin, rosicky) and someone brought in (in desperate need of a defensive fix, even if it's temporary, while henry needs to be added to with another attacker). however, wenger will probably just stick almunia at left back, van persie will get injured on february 1st and arshavin will play the business end of the season at centre-forward. good times ahead

For some reason just gave every corner decision to Arsenal. Such a small trivial thing, although it 'lead to' Arsenal's goal (we should have had a corner. But then we also should have not given the ball away like that).

Van Persie's finishing in the first half was dreadful. Should've had a hat trick by half time. Walcott's miss was hilarious.

that is just tragic. I was a big fan of him at City. Good versatile player, cool in possession, a bit slow to be top level but Championship football? That's ridiculous. He's only about mid twenties and two Premier League clubs have paid about £8m each for him in the last fice years or so.

So apparently the way you beat Man City is to keep it tight, soak up pressure and then hit them on the break. The first two parts should be easy as we have by far and away the best defence in the league this season, in terms of conceding the fewest goals, form and that Johnson-Agger-Skrtel-Enrique is the most individually talented defensive unit in the prem besides Man City. However, I dunno how we are going to hit them on the break when we only have two players with any pace. I’d hope to see a front three of Maxi-Suarez-Bellamy. If we try and play football though we are going to get destroyed about 4 – 0.

Was also sat next to some fat bloke who insisted on telling all of his opinions on everything throughout the game. The Emirates is 'shit' and he can't wait to be back in the Championship. Think he'll get his wish.

Also missed Arsenal's goal because two posh blokes were being kicked out for starting a ruck. They then hid in the seat next to me. When the old bloke behind asked them to sit down during a nothing moment in the game they replied in proper rah accents IT'S A FARKING AWAY GAME YAH. GAHD. WHAT'S HARPENED TO RAHNGERS - did up their barbour jackets and stormed off.

The Emirates seats aren't very conduicive to standing up and sitting down repeatedly.

At the risk of sounding unoriginal, the atmosphere at Arsenal is awful. And that's coming from a man who goes to Loftus Road every week

I do find it all quite funny, as the guys I go with the most nawty thing they've ever done is one called some Chelsea supporting children 'fucking Chelsea cunts' and got grabbed by a copper he told him to mind his language

Watched it last night. Flabbergasting. I can't believe they all actually signed off on it.

What I loved is when we were about to win the league Flavio started turning up again. After the 0-0 with Derby where we could've sealed promotion he says, with no irony or sarcasm 'We should sack this coach'.

The difference between Amit and Iskwan and Flavio and Briatore is startling, and made me feel a lot better to have Amit so much more involved now.

First day in charge Amit tells Paladini he's not allowed to slate the players in the director's box any more.

Both pissed up. One was of the optimistic persuasion, the other slightly more cynical/realistic. Was a lot of close quarters shouting before one bloke was dragged away by his mate (probably for another beer).

The seats they've put in the North Bank for now take an age to recoil (or whatever the appropriate word is). They are massive as well. Quite comfortable but, as you say, not very good for getting up and down.

Ancelotti was a lovely guy. There's a lot saying AVB should walk, though, as he isn't getting the results. I reckon it's 1) inevitable- we're simply not a top 2 team any more- and 2) a matter of time. Rome wasn't built in a day.

I like him, he 's made a few good signings so far and is beginning to edge old-timers out. I think the short-termism that has enveloped management has previously damaged Chelsea and AVB should get untill at least the end of next season before any serious judgement can be made as to his quality.

No-one should expect a great deal from a manager in their first season in charge of a football club. Especially if that squad is due for an overhaul.

and needs to learn. I think perhaps he'd be better used in a CM position as he's definitely talented - he can go around a player, can shoot, good range of passing. His poor positional play makes him a liability at CB, though.

Last season, the consensus was that Luiz couldn't tackle to save his life. Now that he's committed a very average number of fouls for a CB and has half the bookings of Terry, that alleged inherent flaw in his game is long forgotten. Now he mysteriously cannot position himself to save his life.

Little of the meaningful evidence suggests Luiz is much of a problem- Chelsea's team defending is.

Hes a more exotic Titus Bramble. Great player, good defender. Moments of inexcusable madness which you can't have a top 4 chasing team, sadly (Personally I'd rather have a team of Luiz's and win nothing, rather than a team of boring nobodies who do win stuff)

Chelsea defend fucking terribly as a team. Not particularly happy about it, but it's true and if anything far more painful for me to think and say than to just imagine one person is responsible for it and that everything would be fine if he just fucked off.

and falsely analyse everything their players do, but this one is blindingly obvious. He gets dragged all over the place (more than I see any other defender doing) and is a donkey for 10 minutes of a match which is 10 minutes too many for Chelsea, would you agree?

That most people aren't that bothered by Chelsea so don't really pay much attention to them, the intricacies of their system and all that bollocks. Easier to just watch a few minutes of highlights and just agree with Alan Hansen.

A whole lot of Chelsea players have been looking like donkeys for a whole lot longer than 10 minutes.

Personally I think his future will lie in some kind of libero/dm role, but for the moment whoever chelsea play at CB it doesn't matter who they are: if the midfield and strikers dont press they'll be cut open.

I'm not one to criticise officials, but that was categorically the worse refereeing performance I have ever bourne witness to. I'm not going to defend Barton because he's conned the ref before and Norwich's tactic was to wind him up with fouls, late dangerous tackles and elbows. But he's the captain of the club and he shouldn't be getting involved.

When he was sent off, we honestly thought he was sending off the Norwich player. Seeing it on MOTD if the headbutt was seen why was play allowed to continue with QPR in possesion for a good 20 seconds?

Fair play to Holt for criticising the sending off. I felt almost slightly bad for the foul mouth tirades I was launching at him throughout the game. Then I remembered him stamping on Adel Taraabt and I remembered he's a fat cunt.

He allowed Whitbread to foul Helguson with impunity, yet the first slightly late tackle from him and he was booked. At one point Whitbread had Helguson in a backbreaker, the ref looked straight at it, and waved play on. By half time, he had lost all control of the game.

In the second half he then started giving us loads of bizarre and wrong decisions. Towards the end he was literally stopping, judging the crowd reaction then giving the decision. Turned down a pretty strong Norwich penalty shout too. An embarassment.

Fair play to Norwich though, we came out in the second half to play for the draw, and despite a few chances for us, they took theirs. They also have spirit and fight in abundance something we are sorely lacking at the moment.

Warnock, taking off Adel with five minutes to go. Baffling. Taraabt was by some distance the best player on the field yesterday. By some way his most complete performance for us. His dropping seems to have done him the world of good. His last few games he was been really good.

But no mistake. We're in the shit big time. We need to get back some of that never say die attitude, stylish football and defensive strength that won us the league last year.

No one really likes winning games right now, do they? Which was quite terrible for my FF team but made for good viewing.

All of the top 6 teams look like they're running on empty, barring maybe Spurs. Even so, some bizarre decisions ruined a few high profile managers' Christmas. Mancini resting players against Sunderland was a fuck up in my view. Likewise Wenger trying to go a bit more defensive yesterday with 20 to go.

Talking of Sunderland, as much as I rate MONeil, I do get a bit fucked off with the entire media claiming him to be the new messiah everytime his team get a draw.

Lots of players off to ACoN soon. Newcastle will struggle most I suspect without Ba's goals.

they defended well and we didn't take the chances we carved out, and fair play there were one or two Sunderland players playing out of position, but they did absolutely nothing second half- our midfield outplayed them in every department. This has been portrayed as some sort of tactical masterclass when in reality it was one of the most ridiculous smash and grabs you're ever likely to see.

I don't want to sound incredibly bitter about it- I'm incredibly bitter about it- but I don't recall anyone saying Steve Kean was a fucking genius for what he did at Old Trafford.

so I apologise in advance, but I just bought FM 09 (from Oxfam, don't ask) and obviously I can't put in the Activation Key when installing because the previous owner has done so. Is there a way round this or have I wasted 3 quid?

did anyone think it was still on until then? if they'd have won there'd have still been a nine point swing between them and city/united, both of whom dropped 12 points in the first 19 games of the season. i'd bet everything i had that the title goes to manchester if i could get odds that were above the interest gained keeping it in a savings account.

Truly gutted about this; I was at the last game against Gateshead where we lost to a 91st minute header after a really spirited display. The whole crowd (the biggest of the season) stayed anyway to applaud off the team and keep singing, as we all knew what was coming. Pretty sure we're not going to come out of this one at all, what with a reluctant caretaker-manager in charge, a squad consisting of 14 players and a labyrinthine financial and contractual mess surrounding our stupid, oversized stadium. Can't really blame the chairman here, he's ploughed a fuckton of money in to a losing concern and had no assistance from the council or anyone else. Fucking George Reynolds. We've had to watch a decade-long, slow motion implosion since that tit showed up. Now he services condom machines at local workingmen's clubs.

Great bit of bizness. Think Poyet would have kept him, especially after performance yesterday, but must have been some sort of gentlemen's agreement that he was sold before the game......credit to Poyet for not going back on his word, if that's the case

Rumours of him heading to Stoke (!?!) for £8 million - from what I have seen of the kid he is an excellent prospect. Can play wide right or centrally so would work as cover for both an underperforming Walcott and a classically injury prone Van Persie. He's only young so even if he isn't a particular success he has a definite resale value of at worst half of whatever we pay for him. Wenger won't buy him though because he'd immediately go above Oxlade-Chamberlain in the pecking order which would screw with his development or something - even though he's not playing anyway. Silly.

The Kieran Richardson rumour is nuts though. If there is any interest it will only be down to his perceived versatility (as in he can play wide or centrally and he's filled in at left back before), but the guy is a fuck up who looks like he lives off McDonalds and Marlboros. Unless he's a proper bargain on a short term contract I'd steer well clear. A regressive transfer if ever there was one. Let's cement that mid table place.

We need to pull a short term both sided full back out of the bag, and quick. Must be one a similar standard to Santos we could get on a loan deal from somewhere surely?! I do wonder about our non-youth scouting system sometimes.

...but then Marouane Chamakh was my top scorer and Fabianski was the best goalkeeper in the league.

If we sign Wayne Bridge in any situation other than on loan and not paying his wages (which isn't gonna happen), I think I might try and start FC Arsenal of Highbury and support them. Probably making Wayne Bridge my first signing.

Rangers players, after saying the league was done and dusted last year, blame throwing away a fifteen point lead over Celtic on referees not giving them decisions then continue to kick people up and down the park. Comedy gold

I will carry out the suspension with the resignation of someone who hasn't done anything wrong and who feels extremely upset by the events. I do feel sorry for the fans and for my team mates whom I will not be able to help during the next month. It will be a very difficult time for me.

By attacking both Evra's credibility and the tribunal which found him to be a credible witness. Without meaning to trivialise the issue our best bet here would be to pretend it never happened, sit down and shut up.

I just don't see how they can be so belligerent when even Suarez has admitted what was said. They're not appealing but they still have to act as if they're in the right. If United had carried on like that in similar circumstances I'd be fucking mortified.

depressing as it may be, when it comes to assets worth £20 million and integral to your clubs performance, morals are swiftly forgotten. Big clubs are always protecting star players despite being against their apparent values.

was in the final third. Good possession, but everything was too static and lacked any imagination. Carroll gets criticised heavily, yet in fairness the service he receives is appalling. Downing looks shot of any confidence, and on the right we'd be better playing Kelly at right-back with Johnson giving pace and decent crosses going forward.

I don't know why Livermore's been given a contract till 2016, he has never impressed. Would rather play Kaboul as a defensive mid, but with Gallas potentially out and Dawson just returning, that is unlikely.

Can't really comment on Bostock, and I thought Dos Santos could have been handy in his early days but he looked tosh in the Europa League. I dont really know how Caulker's been doing at Swansea, but I thought he was supposed to be a decent prospect?

especially since his return from injury. Don't really know what more you can ask for from a centre-back who's just turned 20 than to be regularly playing - and impressing - for a midtable Premier League side. Hopefully he'll get a chance next season, although I'm slightly worried that we'll sign Samba this month and he'll find too many players ahead of him in the pecking order to make an impact.

it will mean that we don't purchase Samba, even though I think he's a solid defender and I reckon this will be Gallas' last season. Would much rather us buy a quality striker or a back up right winger/ full back type player. Also I expect maybe Gomes/Pienaar/Pav/Corluka to leave even though I like both Gomes and Corluka.

Calm and a good captain in the face of a shitstorm. I like him, but I wouldn't want him at my club (Chelsea). Dunno if he'd be good enough at 'top handful' level, and he'd be unused to having to be subservient to Terry in some capacity.

Tonight was as good as it was going to get. 48 hour turn-over using pretty much the same team, against pumpingly grey opposition, it was never going to be beautiful. Fortunately we were able to force the kind of defensive errors out of Liverpool that we weren't out of Sunderland and get the result we badly needed. Total football will return for your viewing pleasure once we wag it out of the Europa